British Industrial History

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Contents

Introduction

They were based at The Round Foundry, in Water Lane in Holbeck, Leeds. It was at the Round Foundry that Matthew Murray made his name as a great engineer. He became one of the world's finest producers of textile machinery, steam engines and locomotives. The Round Foundry developed to become one of the world's first specialist engineering foundries.

Disaster struck in the 19th century when fire destroyed some of the original buildings, including the large rotunda that gave the Round Foundry its name. Some buildings were saved, the earliest of which dates from 1798. There are a total of 7 listed buildings in the Round Foundry complex. These include the Dry Sand Foundry, the Green Sand Foundry and 101 Water Lane.

1796 August 10th. Deed of assignment between Murray, Wood and James Fenton of the 'Foundries, Warehouses, Fire Engine, House Workshops and all the other several erections and dwelling' [2]

1797 They were joined by James Fenton and the financier William Lister. Initially they built machine tools and stationary steam engines.

Murray was in charge of the engine-building department, while his partner, Wood, directed the machine-making. The company quickly established a reputation for the high quality of their workmanship, and attracted the hostility of Boulton and Watt, who purchased land surrounding the workshop so preventing the firm from expanding. Boulton and Watt successfully challenged two of Murray's patents. Nevertheless the manufactory became serious rivals to Boulton and Watt.

Initially they took a workshop in Mill Green, Holbeck

1802 Murray's famous Round Foundry, actually a fitting shop, was built in Water Lane. It was 81 feet in diameter and four storeys high, and was equipped with a 20 hp beam engine. The manufactory was equipped with three steam engines for driving the machine tools. After manufacture the parts were assembled in a testing department, and when run-in and tested the engines were dis-assembled for packing and dispatch. The manufactory was located on the banks of the Aire and Calder Canal, which gave access to Liverpool. The firm were renowned for the elegant design of their engines, and the quality of manufacture. They were pioneers of all-metal construction and the development of portable engines - engines which could be taken to pieces and easily moved to another location.

1802 Steam engine claimed to be the third oldest working engine in the world and used to power John Bradley and Co. (Exhibit at Birmingham Thinktank museum)

1803 Constructed several beam engines of large size having columns for supporting the main centre bearing of the beams. One of these was installed in a large iron works in Staffordshire

1803 Boulton and Watt bought Camp Field adjoining their works to prevent his expansion

1806 Designed and built an engine with the beam below the cylinder and condenser to reduce the height but only a few were made. A large model by James Fox of Derby is displayed in the London Science Museum.

1806 Delivered an engine for Baron Edelcrantz's combined flour and textile mill on Kungsholmen Island, Sweden. Matthew Murray oversaw the erection of the engine in Sweden, and conducted other business there.[4]

1811 Made a Trevithick-pattern high pressure steam engine, which was fitted to the paddle steamer L'Actif, running out of Yarmouth and owned by John Wright

With Maudslay, the company was at the fore-front of engineering manufacture in this period.

Murray made important improvements to the machinery for heckling and spinning flax and his heckling machine gained him the gold medal of the Society of Arts. At the time when these inventions were made the flax trade was on the point of expiring, the spinners being unable to produce yarn to a profit. Their effect the inventions was to reduce the cost of production, and improve the quality of the manufacture, thus establishing the British linen trade on a solid foundation. The production of flax-machinery became an important branch of manufacture at Leeds, large quantities being made for use at home as well as for exportation, giving employment to an increasing number of highly skilled mechanics.

1812 June 27th. Account of the locomotive trials with John Blenkinsop [8]

1816 Francis B. Odgen, the American Consul in Liverpool ordered several engines for steam boats, one of which was fitted on a steam tug on the River Mississippi

A healthy export trade was built up with the supply of orders from Russia. One of Murray's son's, Matthew, migrated to Russia where he worked as an engineer until his death in July 1835.

The firm supplied machinery for all kinds of purposes, ranging for large cylinder-boring engines for steam engine cylinders, large gear-cutting machines and lathes, to machines for gas and water works. After Bramah's patent for the hydraulic ram came into the public domain the firm made a range of ram actuated machines, including those for the pressing of packs of cloth, to chain-testing machines. The latter were important, for at this time the Navy and the merchant marine adopted heavy chains to secure anchors, and it was necessary that they would not fail in use. The firm were also involved in the construction of textile mills by the provision of iron work.